Read The Well-Wishersby Edward Eager Online

James, Laura, and Deborah along with their friends Kip, Lydia, and Gordy relate their experiences when the unpredictable old wishing well in the backyard continues to involve them in a variety of magical adventures....

Title

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The Well-Wishers

Author

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Edward Eager

Rating

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ISBN

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9780613225946

Format Type

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Hardcover

Number of Pages

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220 Pages

Status

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Available For Download

Last checked

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21 Minutes ago!

The Well-Wishers Reviews

Rick Stuckwisch2019-01-08 13:07

Another great book in the Edward Eager collection. This one is a bit different from the others, even somewhat different than the preceding one, though it features the same group of children. It is written as though from the perspective of each of the children, which gives it a nice character. And the focus is on growing up and doing good for neighbors. Well written, as ever, and a delight to read.

Janelle2019-01-04 13:16

I love the way the author writes this beautiful fantasy story while overall maintaining a plausible plot. The fantasy isn’t overdone. The main characters are all so lovable. I loved seeing the different view points and writing styles of the various characters and seeing them grow.

Kailey (BooksforMKs)2019-01-10 08:13

The five children are back for more magic from their wishing well. But this time the magic is including all sorts of unsuitable people in their adventures, and the children aren't sure if they can accept these new people encroaching on their magic business. Can the school bully really be reformed by the magic, or does he deserve to be punished for his previous schoolyard crimes? Will the children try to help an extremely annoying opera diva, or will they avoid her like the plague? And what about the crazy witch-lady from the local insane asylum? Surely, the magic wouldn't expect them to make friends with a dangerous witch! But somehow the magic pulls through, the children find the courage and resourcefulness to overcome every obstacle, and they spread some good magic around their neighborhood while still having fun! They learn that anyone can become a friend if only you show them acceptance and kindness.The only thing that I didn't like about this book was the changing POV. Each chapter is written by a different member of the Wishing-Well group, and while I thought it was interesting to see how they each had their own voice and unique perspective, changing POVs is one of my pet peeves. It IS well done in this book, but no matter how well-written, it still grates on my nerves. That's just me.Otherwise, this is a 5-star book! The characters grow and make mistakes and have break-through ideas. The plot turns around in unexpected ways, and the writing is funny and bright. Even rereading this for the 2nd time, I was engaged and entertained and loving it!

Dolly2018-12-27 12:22

This is the sixth book in the Tales of Magic series by Edward Eager.interesting quotes:"Physical violence never solved anything in the world, we all realize." (p. 3)"Sticks and stones may break your bones, but names and plain truths and meanness can go much deeper and cut you to the quick." (pp. 18-19)"The books tell all about knights and musketeers rescuing beautiful damsels. But they never put in what Lancelot said to Elaine on the ride home. Or D'Artagnan to Milady de Winter, either." (p. 190)"It's the way they look at things, as if anything could happen the next minute. And generally something does. If you want to call it believing in magic, okay, call it that." (pp. 214-215)new word: doughty

Kate2019-01-14 15:25

Edward Eager's books were stories I loved as a child and having re-read them as an adult I still quite enjoy them. The stories and characters hold up to the test of time. These books are clever and intriguing and the characters are very endearing.

Tory2019-01-12 08:07

This is one of Edward Eager's cheesiest books. I know it's meant to be a deeper read (not as magic, more good deeds and such), but that makes it not as much fun. The problems throughout the book are all solved much too quickly, with very little plot arc.

Gable Roth2019-01-09 10:13

I really like how this book and that last book use a subtle form of magic. It really makes you wonder if it is magic or not. But not only that but this book also tackles the moral issue of accepting others which was a big issue when this book was written... and sadly it is still a big issue. You would think that we would have been able to put that behind us now and move on but we still struggle. Some people may not think this is appropriate to put in a children's book. But Eager does it in such a way that it is not in your face and it fits well with the story. Definitely a good read for all children!

Courtney2019-01-16 09:07

This is the one that broke me. I was okay with the previous one, with the magic not really being real, being the product of the children's good deeds, but this one was too disjointed for me. I don't know if it was the transition into an "I" book from each of the character's perspectives or something else. Anyway, while still delightful this one lost a bit of the magic for me.

Leslie2019-01-22 08:25

This was my favorite book as a child. I was happy to find it on eBay and am reliving a more innocent time. It's reminded me of a more idealistic me, when I believed in magic and the good in the world.

Ashley2019-01-21 12:15

http://readfantasybooks.wordpress.comThe Well-Wishers is the second part of the previous Tales of Magic book, Magic or Not?, which includes the same children we have come to adore! James, Kip, Laura, Lydia, and Gordy are back with new adventures!I thought it was interesting how this book was written. It reminds me a lot of the first book in which each child has their own chapter in the book and explains all about their adventure. I really like that it was in first-person because I feel like that gives a more personal feel to the novel. You really get to know more about the characters and I felt like part of their group.There is so much more to learn about each of the characters in this book. They are much more developed and we begin to see signs of them starting to "grow-up" and wanting to leave magic behind. So sad! I don't feel like I should tell you more about them because you should discover that for yourself, but it is important to know that they are growing as characters. It is sad to spend two books with them and learn to love them so much only to see them go. I don't believe they are around in the final Tales of Magic book. Anyway, the characters are great!I like the plot , but it is closely related to the previous book, but with different adventures. The children want to help people in the neighborhood and use the wishing well as a means to do so; however, they are never certain whether it really is magic or just a bunch of coincidences. I actually found the first adventure with Gordy to be the most interesting, but they were all entertaining. I also like how there are several lessons to be learned in this novel that are important for children to know. The one thing I wasn't too sure about was right at the end in about the last chapter when we see James start to mature a little and find an interest in girls. There wasn't anything too inappropriate about it, which was good, but if you are a parent and don't like anything like that then this book can be easily skipped.So, I really like this book, but just like the previous one, it is not my favorite just because nothing really magical actually happens to make it... well more magical. I did like that it was a little different though, especially in a series with as many books as this one it helps to change it up a little. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves this series or adores fantasy books. It is also a great book for children!

Beth2019-01-02 15:32

So I am beginning this story, and after that each one will tell what happened to him or her, as the case may be, and each one will tell it in his own way. Only we have made one rule, which is not to tell about the days when nothing happened, because who would want to read about them? And another rule is not to put in things that don't mean anything and are just there to try to make it more exciting. Like saying, "There I stood, my heart beating." Naturally your heart would be beating. Otherwise you wouldn't be standing there; you'd be lying down dead.There's a lot of charm, a lot of sly literary commentary, even in an average Edward Eager book. This is one of his mediocre works, though, because most of the stories are formulaic. Still well-told, and always witty, with that thread of satire running beneath every character pronouncement, but less fresh overall, less memorable.The on chapter that struck me most this time was the way Eager treated Deborah's story of the first black family to move to town. Interestingly, he never describes the family's appearance, just the town's split reaction, letting readers draw their own conclusions. Eager's only true acknowledgement that the opposition to the new family was race-based comes from Deborah's "Oh, is that all?" reaction when she first catches sight of the new family. Which felt a bit - condescending. Though that's perhaps balanced by Hannibal's insight that the families were so welcoming to make themselves feel good, which is a moment of uncomfortable insight that I'd imagine was fairly daring for a book first published in 1960.

Anastasia2019-01-21 13:04

Originally posted at Here There Be Books on June 24, 2013.Guess what The Well-Wishers is! It is the sequel to Magic or Not! AND I REALLY LOVE IT.It's kind of the perfect sequel: similar enough to Magic or Not to give me the warm squishy feelings of reading a really awesome book, but different enough so it's not just the same story over again. For example! It's written in first person POV, and each kid gets their own chapter to tell their part of the story. The great thing is that they all sound different from one another-- and just like how you'd expect them to sound, too! (Admittedly through the lens of a 1960s kids book.) Even the pre-teen greaser (he's a bully but he gets better) gets a chapter, and he sounds like what you'd expect, too. Neat!Plot-wise, the emphasis was more on the kids themselves, their character development and working through friendship issues and whatnot. Yes, they still helped people out, but the emphasis was even MORE on personal relationships and FEELINGS and also magic because, after all, this is a kidlit fantasy book. (Though it still had the same maybe-it's-magic-maybe-not kind of feel to it as in the first book.)I actually think The Well-Wishers could stand on its own well enough, if you haven't read Magic or Not? yet. But I think it's best read on the wings of the awesomeness of the first book, just because I'm picky like that.

CatholicBibliophagist2019-01-20 10:18

(This is the same as my review of Magic or Not)Edward Eager was one of my favorite authors when I was a child. However, I only read Magic or Not and its sequel, The Well Wishers once or twice. (The others I read countless times!)What I liked about Eager's other books was that magical adventures befell ordinary children living in ordinary neighborhoods in the United States. But in Magic or Not the very existence of magic is very ambiguous. In fact, the characters themselves aren't sure whether the wishing well is granting their wishes or if each successful outcome is the result of coincidence. And that's not what I was hoping for when I read these books as a child.Having now reread both books as an adult, I'm revising my original opinion of them upwards -- but by only a little. I can appreciate the author's attempt to do something different from the rest of his canon, and from my adult point of view, I definitely see a supernatural touch in both books. And most of the elements I've always loved in Eager's books are still there. But for me they still lack the exuberance of his previous works. And I am glad that the author went back to form in his last book, Seven Day Magic.

Karen2019-01-01 08:09

It was pretty good. It taught about believing in something even when you don't believe in yourself.It taught about sticking together and finding a positive solution in each negative situation.It taught that something as simple as a water well could represent a creative sign to send magical wishes that could teach a powerful lesson.Sometimes it just takes a little team work and ideas from your heart to make something special happen. Sometimes you need to not judge a book by it's cover and give a person a chance.When a challenging or interesting situation presents itself don't walk away from it because you just might learn something that you'll also learn to be thankful for.Learning that it wasn't really a wishing well that brought all the magic.That it was really something they felt in their hearts that helped them feel driven to look at things with compassion.Even though they didn't want to believe it was as simple as that. All in all it taught follow your dreams and don't be selfish. It's better to give first then recieve later.

Elfear2019-01-10 08:24

Awesome, as usual. This andMagic or Not?are probably my favourite in the series. There's that chill you get when the coincidences stack up and you debate with yourself whether there was magic or not? Plus the old world charm is, well, perfectly charming.Unfortunately, James, Kip and Laura were hardly in the this book. However, I enjoyed Gordy and Dicky's growing-up, and love Lydia to bits, so it was alright. Surprisingly, there was no mention of Deborah's strange low voice, and she seems almost normal in this book except for a few instances where she starts talking about squirrels or something. I liked how weird she was. Weird baby. Anyway, the different voices Eager wrote in were pretty cool, but it kind of excluded the rest when the 'I' was used. Especially since they seemed to have an adventure each of their own here. It's sad that they're all growing up. (view spoiler)[ reminds me of Narnia, when Peter's the first to doubt its existence.(hide spoiler)] But it has to be done! The only constant is change.

Celeste2019-01-11 11:14

As I said in my review of Magic or Not?, this is my least favorite duo in the series. And The Well-Wishers is definitely my least favorite of the books overall. I previously thought the whole series deserved 5 stars but after re-reading this one, it's definitely nowhere near the others so I can't give it that honor. I think the first-person perspective is a big part of the problem — the kids in the previous books had flaws, and that was okay, but reading everything from each kid's perspective, with all their thoughts and everything, kind of made me not like them as much. And of course, the magic is never confirmed.I'm pretty sure when I read these books as a child, I read this pair first and least often, because when I think of the series I really think of the first four books. I think that's probably a better way to do it since after the real magic of the first four, these are a bit disappointing. Still decent books, but it's hard not to compare them to the others.

Kasha2018-12-24 08:16

This book was pretty good, but not nearly as entertaining as Edward Eager's book Half Magic. This book isn't on the AR reading list, but I would place it around 6.7 or 7.0. Half Magic is 5.0 on the AR reading list, and is a very fun book about a charm some children find that only grants half of what you wish. There are all sorts of sticky situations that arise from it. The Well-Wishers is about some children who believe they can make wishes on a well in their neighborhood. In the well-wishers, you could choose to view many of the situations (if not all) as simple coincidences and not really magic. I think that's another reason why I enjoyed Half Magic more, because the things that happen are obviously a result of magic. David said that Seven Day magic was pretty fun to read also (I haven't tried that one) but I think I'll be done with Edward Eager for now. I don't think I'll like any of his books as much as Half Magic.

Robert2019-01-15 12:04

Unlike any book in its series, The Well-Wishers by Edward Eager is a story told by fictional characters, which started out with an intro by James, followed by the true beginning of the magic. It came to the children one at a time, who used the magic for solving problems. And at the end, when the magic finally suspended, Laura concluded the story by making everyone write their endings as the fictional children.This story is full of mystery; conundrums that make the reader try to predict the next part. It also has a lot of surprises with unexpected events at unexpected times that may make the reader gasp in joy. This story has lots of good parts that I really enjoy, and I recommend the book to you.

Brad2019-01-06 07:13

Once again, Eager has done a great job of portraying some very realistic kids, both in how they act and in how they think. This was a nice story about kids doing nice things for other people. James was certainly amusing as a character, especially as he thought himself a man at the end of the book. Eager does a good job of providing an entertaining story as well as things for grown-ups to chuckle at.Rating: G.*SMALL SPOILER AHEAD*So it took me some thinking to understand what was different about the new family. Because of my own cultural/temporal lens, I was thinking the family must have been Hispanic or Arabic. When I realized the book was written back in the '50s, I realized that they must have been black. I really liked the reaction of one of the children (Lydia, I think?) who, upon seeing the new family said simply, "is that what all the fuss is about?"

Iraida 2018-12-28 09:21

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIZ BOOK IS #1 THAT THEY LIKE TO WISH ALOT #2 IS THAT WHEN THEY USE IT SOMETIMES IT DONT WORK BECAUSE THEY SAY THE WELL DOESNT WORK. #3 IS THAT THEY HATE WAITING FOR THERE WISH BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG THAT THEY KEEP PUTING MORE WISHES IN IT. THATS ALL I GOT 4 NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#4 my review from thiz book is that gordy threatens the old well, telling it to get going with its magic or eles!and that seems to do the trick. suddenly laura, lydia, james,and kip- who feared thier autummn would magic- rare plunged into just the sorts of outlandish advantures they'd longed for.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BY:IRAIDA SABRINA MATOS

Gail2019-01-09 09:21

So, I had started to think that Eager's stories were getting a little repetitive, and I just got proved wrong. Seeing the story from the kids' perspective was a really cool touch and it was something very unique. As always, I loved the tone he writes in, but this one was something special. Whether it was just because it was from the new point of view, or because of the deeper messages he wove in, I think this just became my favorite tale of magic.

Ellen2019-01-01 12:25

I really like this series so far. It's a bit outdated, but the themes in this one are very relevant to this day. What I particularly liked about this book was the fact that rather than an extravagant magical adventure, these children see magic as the opportunities that they are given to help people, making the story's problems and solutions relatable for children who read it.

Kate2018-12-31 07:10

Edward Eager's books are classics, and some of my very favorites from childhood. The illustrations by N.M. Bodeker were a huge influence on me, and I loved the stories (you think Harry Potter is original? Hardly). These are excellent books, published mid-century, that build on a foundation laid decades earlier by masters like E. Nesbit.

Maria2018-12-29 09:17

The "Well Wishers",( in contrast to "Magic or Not") is written first person from the point of view of multiple characters. This gives it an almost unbearably precious tone. Really the only thing I can say I like about this book was the discovery and reclamation of an abandoned house. I do like the idea of a fixer-upper. Otherwise, this book is not a keeper.

Jane2019-01-10 11:22

Another book from the SF binge. Fabulously reminiscent of Nesbit

Zana2019-01-20 11:06

Not as good as the last, I'm afraid, although I'd completely forgotten the character of Dicky and was delighted to rediscover him. It's just that now that I'm not a kid anymore, I know the world isn't righted quite so easily as the children manage to do it....Also I've since become a fanficcer, and want someone to write them all grown up and having semi-magical adventures. :)

Sanhita2019-01-16 10:24

I love magic. I love to read books written for children. This book is a lovely combination of both. It made me smile, relax, enjoy and feel young. The young kids in this county believe in their wishing well and how their efforts in doing good brings the wishes true. What an apt name of the book, The Well wishers!!Want to totally relax, go read it. :-)

Michelle M2019-01-15 14:29

For me, this book helped my relationship with God. No, the book has nothing to do with religion or spirituality, but it's all about believing. Luckily, faith is faith, whether it's in magic, a person, or anything else. Edward Eager depicts faith so simply and clearly, that anyone wondering what it means to believe can't help but gain insight with child-like clarity.Ages: 3rd grade and up

Lela2018-12-22 07:16

I do love these books, but they were written more than 50 years ago. I'm reading them out loud to my son, and I find myself skipping over terms that are repeated over and over, like "old lady," and replacing them...

Joyce2018-12-24 08:21

Without moralizing, the author addresses some heavy issues, such as attitudes towards the mentally ill, racial tensions, prejudice, bullying, and juvenile delinquency. The middle schoolers in this story are looking for a way to do good to others, while having adventures.

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About the author

Edward Eager - Eager was born in and grew up in Toledo, Ohio and attended Harvard University, class of 1935. After graduation, he moved to New York City, where he lived for 14 years before moving to Connecticut. He married Jane Eberly in 1938 and they had a son, Fritz. Eager was a childhood fan of L. Frank Baum's Oz series, and started writing children's books when he could not find stories he wanted to read to his own young son. In his books, Eager often acknowledges his debt to E. Nesbit, whom he thought of as the best children's author of all time. A well-known lyricist and playwright, Eager died on October 23, 1964 in Stamford, Connecticut, at the age of fifty-three.

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